Better be safe than sorry…

18062010

TRAGIC ROAD ACCIDENTS… I’ve seen at close hand a fair share of them. And just this morning not far from E-Mart in Miri, I saw what transpired to be a corpse lying next to a crumpled-up motorbike which might have been directly hit by a car.😦

In fact, I’ve had enough share of my own misfortunes due to road accidents in which I had been involved in although I’ve never been injured or hospitalized due to my countless self-accidents over the years. A couple of my previous cars were badly damaged, though, and one had been a total write-off after it flew over a water-logged road during a heavy downpour, hitting a tree in the year 2000.

I recall not long after I bought my first car in 1983, I managed to avoid hitting another car that drove straight across my path. In doing so, I had to fly over an ‘island’ (road-divider) and landed onto a road in the opposite direction but luckily enough, no oncoming cars that time!😉

And 16 years later, my previous ‘four-wheeler’ treaded in heavy rains on a water-log rushing down an accident-prone road near Bukit Panggal along the highway. It slid to a halt when it hit the safety-grill fencing and turned over sideways! I looked down from top to bottom and realized that had my baby daughter, who was only three then, been a passenger… I just couldn’t imagine the tragedy and worst nightmare any father would have gone through!😦

The last worse accident I experienced was in 2006 (remember FIFA World Cup when Italy emerged as Champions!)… After watching the Live match between hosts Germany and England, I drove back home at about 3.00 a.m. when suddenly my eyes shut for a split second and before I knew it the car veered aimlessly in the middle of the ‘dark evil’ Seria-Mumong Bypass and got ditched on the side in the peat-swampy bushes. Dangling on to the seat belt, I had to get out of the car from the top before I pushed it back into position again from outside.😀

People may say I have like a cat’s 99 lives… still it’s no fun to be involved in any road accident which could prove fatal i.e. if you’re destined to die there and then… Nauzubillahi minzalik (touch wood?!).😛

Nowadays since some years back, I often make it a point to always read my prayers or supplications (Do’a) before starting any road journey and while driving.🙂 Sadly, I’m still a fast and furious driver at times but somehow common sense prevails.😉 So really it all comes down to taking good control of the wheels and practising a much more defensive driving style. Also, I always try my best to tolerate other reckless drivers.

Just as in everyday life — interacting, mixing around and socializing with people — mutual respect for each other should be part and parcel of safe driving practices. So whatever you need to do or however rushing you are, please do drive safely!🙂